ABSTRACT
In the ceremonies which were performed on Ash-Wednesday, in the middle of the sixteenth century, at the admission of questionists to be bachelors of arts, an important function was executed by a certain ‘ould bachilour’ who was appointed as first champion on the side of the examining and honour-holding university. He had to ‘sit upon a stoole before Mr Proctours’ and to dispute first with the ‘eldest son’ (the foremost of the questionists) and afterwards with the father’ (a graduate representing the paternal or tutorial piety of the hall or college coming to the rescue of the young combatant) on the two questions thrown down as a challenge by the eldest son. At this periods the only ‘tripos’ was the three-legged stool
When we next catch full sight of these proceedings a century later, soon after the Restoration of K. Charles II., we find the ‘ould bachilour,’ if not recognised already as a licensed buffoon, yet needing to be exhorted by the Senior Proctor ‘to be witty but modest withall’ Whether it was the contempt for ceremonies which was rife in England in the Reformation period, or the example of the royal patron of Ignoramus (who would,
dictated orally by the moderator who sat at a table with them. At certain times they were engaged by themselves with a problem paper, of which they must have obtained a MS. copy. Before
the year 1801 the problem papers (but not the other questions) began to be printed. I do not remember to have seen one above eighty years old.
